Thumb Bold Lyrics
A five-line finger rhyme that names the fingers one after another, from Thumb bold to Mama's little man.
Thumb Bold
Thumb bold,
Thibity-thold,
Langman,
Lick pan,
Mama's little man.
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/thumb-bold/
- Type
- Action Songs
- Tune
- Chanted, touching one finger on each line
- Best for ages
- 1 to 4 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| Thumb bold | Touch or wiggle the thumb. |
| Thibity-thold | Touch the pointing finger. |
| Langman | Touch the tallest, middle finger. |
| Lick pan | Touch the ring finger. |
| Mama's little man | Wiggle the little finger and give the whole hand a squeeze. |
What Does Thumb Bold Mean?
There are five lines and five fingers, so each line is the name of one finger in order, from the thumb to the little finger. Langman means 'long man', and it fits the middle finger. Lick pan sounds like the finger a cook would use to lick a pan clean. Thibity-thold seems to be a made-up word that fits the beat.
The last name, Mama's little man, goes to the smallest finger, and the whole hand often gets a squeeze at the end.
History and Origin
Halliwell's collection gives this finger rhyme as five lines. Rhymes that give each finger its own name, such as Thumbkin and Foreman in Dance, Thumbkin, Dance, are found in many old collections.
Learning Activities
- Baby's hand: touch each of the baby's fingers in turn on the five lines.
- Your own names: invent funny names for all five fingers on the other hand.